During these unprecedented times, there is a need for unprecedented measures – in this case, nothing as dramatic or essential as a lockdown, more like two posts in such quick succession (nothing short of a miracle if we’re honest here).
We started social distancing in our house from about the 17th March so unlike a lot of my peers, I’ve had a bit more time to get a bit of a headstart in terms of figuring out how I spend my days and what my priorities are etc. But, I have to be completely honest here, I’ve chosen this kind of lifestyle for myself time and time again and this whole social self was a very recent thing, so really, it’s not been terribly difficult slipping back into my old habits and routines.
That being said, I’ve received a lot of DMs on Instagram which I’ve been hesitant to answer because most of them go along the lines of praising the level of productivity and asking for tips on how they can also maximise on the time they have at home. For the most part, my default response has been a resounding “DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE”, but I’ve been struggling to understand how I could relay what drives me to do what I do without making my personal goals entirely public whilst maintaining my policy of being transparent and honest as and where needed. So, here we are. I am going to attempt to explain how I sift through the opportunities available to me and make decisions on what is right for me and what isn’t.
I try and make sure everything I say and do is well thought out and intentional. I have found that when I let myself be impulsive (without thought), that is usually when things backfire on me and I lose out the most in life. With that in mind, I like to write down what my biggest long term goal is and then fit everything else around it. Though I won’t get into any specifics of my own, take this moment to ask yourself:
What do I want to achieve? What is the legacy I want to leave behind? How do I want to be remembered?
When you have your answer, write it down as coherently as you can. That is the base from which everything you do in life now can be navigated. From here on out, you can be intentional in all of your actions and your words. You can hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable.
If you see the little infographic to the right, you’ll see the 5-step process that I follow in an attempt to ensure everything I do has been with intention and with purpose as opposed to spontaneous or fleeting desires which do more to hamper my personal progress than aid in my development. Now, let me be clear here when I say: life is insane and will throw things at you when you least expect it and will seldom go to plan, but this method allows you to be prepared for the what-ifs well in advance and go into life with a greater sense of clarity.
This might not improve your level of productivity at all, or it might do everything for it, but at the very least it will allow you to engage with your innermost thoughts and live a life that is intentional for “Truly, the deeds are only according to the intentions, and to every man is that which he has intended” [Sahih al-Bukhari 1].
May all your days be good and full of light. May you find yourself entirely in love with yourself as you take this journey within, But most importantly, may you find your place in this race towards Him.